Curtis W. Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Curtis W. Harris |
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Curtis W. Harris
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| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1, 1924 Dendron, Virginia |
| Died | December 10, 2017 (aged 93) Chester, Virginia, U.S. |
| Residence | Hopewell, Virginia |
| Parents | Thelma and Sandy Harris |
| Spouse | Dr. Ruth Jones Harris (deceased) |
| Children | Curtis W. Harris Jr., Kenneth C. Harris Sr. (deceased), Michael B. Harris I, Joanne Harris Lucas, Karen D. Bradford, Ruth Michelle Pritchett |
| Profession | Minister, civil rights activist, politician |
| Education | Hopewell Public Schools, Virginia Union University, Virginia University of Lynchburg, Virginia State University, Urban Training Center for Chrisian Missions, Medical College of Virginia |
Curtis West Harris (July 1, 1924 – December 10, 2017) was an important African-American minister, civil rights activist, and politician from Virginia. He moved to Hopewell, Virginia, with his family in 1928.
Harris married Ruth Jones in 1946. They had six children together. His wife, Ruth, passed away in 2011. The Harris family, known as the "Harris Connection," includes his five living children, their spouses, 19 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.
Fighting for Civil Rights
Curtis Harris began his work for civil rights in 1950. He became the president of the Hopewell chapter of the NAACP.
In 1960, he was arrested for taking part in a sit-in. This protest happened at Georges' Drugstore in Hopewell, which was segregated. Later that year, he led a protest against the city's segregated swimming pool. This protest led to the pool being closed.
In 1966, Harris led a peaceful protest. He wanted to stop the city from building a landfill in Rosedale. This was an African American community in Hopewell. During this protest, he was confronted by the Ku Klux Klan. Harris was arrested many times for peacefully protesting unfair laws. He also faced threats because of his work.
In 1960, Harris helped start the Hopewell Improvement Association. This group was connected to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He became its Vice President. In 1961, he joined the Board of Directors for the National SCLC. At that time, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the president.
Harris worked closely with Dr. King on many civil rights projects. These included the famous March on Washington in 1963. He also participated in the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965. Harris saw Dr. King as a mentor in the Civil Rights Movement.
From 1963 to 1998, Harris served as president of the Virginia State Unit of SCLC. In 2005, he was elected the National SCLC Vice President. In 1968, he joined the Virginia Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He continued to fight against discrimination throughout his life. For example, in 1987, he led a march against discrimination in Colonial Heights, Virginia. In 1996, he filed a complaint about racial discrimination at the Fort Lee Army Base.
In 2007, Harris protested against a plan to build an ethanol plant in Hopewell. He had support from the national SCLC for this effort.
Church and Political Leadership
Curtis Harris became a Baptist minister in 1959. He first served as a pastor at First Baptist Church in Chester, Virginia. He stayed there until 1969. In 1961, he became a pastor at Union Baptist Church in Hopewell and Gilfield Baptist Church in Ivor, Virginia. He retired from Gilfield in 1994. On December 16, 2007, he gave his last sermon at Union Baptist after 46 years as pastor.
Harris also led the Hopewell Ministerial Association. He was also involved with the Bethany Baptist Association and the Lott Carey Foreign Mission.
Harris ran for a seat on the Hopewell City Council as early as 1964. After trying seven times, he and other residents helped change the city's election system. In 1983, Hopewell changed from an "at-large" system to a "ward" system. This meant people voted for representatives from their specific neighborhoods.
Finally, in 1986, Harris was elected to the Hopewell City Council for Ward 2. In 1994, he became vice mayor. Then, in 1998, Curtis Harris made history. He was sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Hopewell. He served the city for 26 years. He retired from the City Council on March 1, 2012.
In 2014, the Hopewell City Council honored Harris. They voted to rename Terminal Street to "Rev C W Harris Street." Curtis and Ruth Harris had lived on Terminal Street for 57 years. The council also renamed Booker Street, which crosses Rev. C. W. Harris Street, to "Ruth Harris Way." This honored his late wife, Dr. Ruth J. Harris. A special ceremony was held in June 2014 to celebrate their contributions.
On July 1, 2017, Harris celebrated his 93rd birthday. He passed away on December 10, 2017, at the age of 93.
Awards and Recognitions
Curtis W. Harris received many awards and honors for his dedication:
- 1971 - Citizen of the Year Award from the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
- 1972 - Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Virginia University of Lynchburg.
- 1981 - Received the Rosa Parks Award from the National Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
- 1983 - Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law degree from Virginia University of Lynchburg.
- 1998 - Became the first African-American mayor of Hopewell, Virginia.
- 2007 - A library at Carter G. Woodson Middle School in Hopewell was named after him.
- 2014 - Two streets in Hopewell, Virginia, were renamed in honor of Curtis W. Harris and his wife, Ruth J. Harris.
- 2016 - Received the Lifetime Leadership Award from the Children's Home of Virginia Baptist, Inc.
- 2019 - Congressman A. Donald McEachin introduced a bill to name the Hopewell post office after Curtis Harris.
- 2020 - The bill passed and became public law.
- 2021 - The Reverend Curtis West Harris Post Office Ceremony and Reception took place in Hopewell.
